MADRID — In a historic moment, Casper Ruud has etched his name in tennis history as the first Norwegian to clinch a Masters 1000 title, triumphing over Jack Draper with a score of 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 in the thrilling final of the Madrid Open this past Sunday.
The 26-year-old Ruud showed remarkable resilience, coming back from a challenging 5-3 deficit in the opening set and ultimately securing the win by capitalizing on a crucial break at 2-2 in the deciding set.
As he sealed the victory on his first match point, Ruud couldn’t contain his excitement—he leaped into the air with a jubilant yell, arms raised high at the iconic Caja Mágica clay court.
Thanks to his stellar performance in Madrid, Ruud, currently ranked 15th, is set to make a significant leap back into the top 10, officially reaching No. 7 in the latest rankings.
A 13-time tour champion, Ruud becomes the first Norwegian to hoist a Masters 1000 trophy since the inception of the series in 1990, as confirmed by the ATP. This victory marks his third appearance in such a final, having previously finished as runner-up to Stefanos Tsitsipas in Monte Carlo last year and Carlos Alcaraz in Miami in 2022.
Jack Draper, who celebrated a victory at Indian Wells in March, achieved a top-five ranking debut following his quarterfinal win in Madrid.
The Madrid tournament faced significant disruptions early last week due to a major blackout that impacted both Spain and Portugal, resulting in the postponement of 22 matches.
Ruud had to rely on painkillers during his semifinal clash with Francisco Cerundolo, struggling with a rib issue in the warm-up, but showed no signs of discomfort during the final.
Draper, who also entered the final without losing a set, served for the first set at 5-4 but was unable to close it out. The 23-year-old from Britain appeared visibly frustrated, engaging in dialogue with himself and his team during the break.
The men’s draw lost many top contenders early on, with local favorite Carlos Alcaraz withdrawing due to injury and Novak Djokovic exiting in his opening match against Matteo Arnaldi.
In women’s action, top seed Aryna Sabalenka claimed victory over Coco Gauff in the final on Saturday.
